Milestones underscore tradition of innovation in the Heart Center,
one of the nation’s 10 largest programs for pediatric heart transplant

March 08, 2018 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The
Heart Center at Children’s HealthSM, named one of the
country’s top pediatric heart programs by U.S. News & World Report,
today announced that it has performed 250 heart transplants in children,
one of the largest volumes among hospitals nationwide. The milestone
coincides with the 30th anniversary of the Heart Center’s
pediatric heart transplant program, which began in 1988.

Children’s Health is the sole pediatric heart transplant facility in
North Texas and one of only two in the state—attracting patients from
across Texas, as well as surrounding states such as New Mexico,
Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas. Besides hearts, the system is also a
major pediatric liver and kidney transplant center, having performed
more than 1,300 total organ transplants in children.

“This is a proud moment for the Heart Center as we reflect on the lives
transformed through our heart transplant program,” said Robert
Jaquiss, M.D., co-director of the Heart Center and director of
pediatric cardiothoracic surgery at Children’s Health. Dr. Jaquiss is
Professor of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery and Pediatrics at UT
Southwestern Medical Center. “Our team of more than 400 cardiologists,
surgeons, nurses, managers and support staff in the Heart Center are
some of the country’s leading experts in the treatment of the full
spectrum of pediatric heart conditions. Our shared commitment to make
life better for children drives everything we do.”

From Heart Attack to Heart Transplant

One of these children is Casey Huff, a 15-year-old high school freshman
from Fort Worth. As a baby, Casey was diagnosed with hypoplastic
left heart syndrome (HLHS), a rare birth defect in which the left
side of the heart is critically undeveloped. Like many HLHS patients,
Casey underwent a series of three open-heart surgeries in her first few
years of life, and she enjoyed a relatively healthy childhood after that.

Things began to rapidly change in September 2017, however, when she was
sitting at home and felt what she describes as “a ton of bricks sitting
on your chest.” Casey’s dad rushed her to a local emergency room, where
she was diagnosed with a pulled muscle in her sternum. However, when she
failed to improve in the following weeks and months, Casey’s doctor
referred her to the Heart Center at Children’s Health, where the team
discovered that her episode was, in fact, a heart attack.

“When they told us they had answers, I just got chills,” said Casey’s
mom, Bethany Huff. “Having answers and a realistic expectation of where
we can go from here, and what that looks like, can put you at ease, It’s
a hard road, but knowing that you’re in good hands with people on the
team who know what to do – that’s where you can develop a good strategy.”

Casey was listed for transplant in late February 2018. On March 1, more
than five months after her heart attack, she received her lifesaving
heart transplant. The oldest of three siblings, Casey is looking forward
to getting back to school and eating her favorite foods after a full
recovery.

“Casey’s going to be better off than she’s ever been,” Bethany Huff
said. “She doesn’t understand what it’s going to feel like, for example,
to not get tired after running. We’re just very excited for her.”

Kicking Off a Tradition of Innovation

When the Heart Center performed its first heart transplant on April 13,
1988, the procedure was still relatively new in children and not widely
available. Children’s Health was one of the first to offer pediatric
heart transplants in some of the smallest infants for whom this
advanced, lifesaving procedure was not previously an option. Today, the
Heart Center averages 16 heart transplants per year, including 18 in
2017.

“The innovations in our Heart Center have allowed for what was once
considered ‘impossible’ to be ‘possible,’” said David Berry, president
of system clinical and scientific operations at Children’s Health.
“While no parent would wish for their child to have a heart condition
and require specialized care, we are proud of our extraordinary team of
experts in the Heart Center who have provided them with countless
renewed opportunities for a happy, healthy childhood.”

Transplantation remains the most advanced heart procedure in children;
however, medical advancements have introduced many options to keep
children healthy enough until the right donor organ becomes available—or
even avoid the need for transplant altogether. Among the Heart Center’s
innovations are:

One of only two ventricular
assist device programs in Texas, offering custom-fit devices
traditionally manufactured for adults, enabling patients to remain
healthy as they await a heart transplant or other solution

One of the nation’s largest pediatric cardiac
catheterization programs, reducing the need for open-heart surgery
in many patients

A Fetal
Heart Program, the only one in the nation to receive a Gold Seal
of Approval from The Joint Commission, that coordinates prenatal
testing and high-risk delivery planning to give babies with critical
congenital heart conditions the care they need at the right time

The award-winning Safe
at Home Program, an around-the-clock intensive home monitoring
program that allows patients with single-ventricle defects to recover
at home between surgeries

One of few programs in the country with a dedicated
cardiac MRI, which Heart Center experts use to make more accurate
diagnoses and tailor treatments to each patient’s unique anatomy

For more information and pediatric heart transplants and other
innovations within the Heart Center at Children’s Health, visit www.childrens.com/heart.

About the Heart Center at Children’s Health℠

The
Heart Center at Childen’s Health℠ is ranked among the country’s top
pediatric cardiology and heart surgery programs by U.S. News & World
Report, with close to 600 cardiac surgeries, 1,000 inpatient
admission and 13,000 outpatient clinic visits annually. The experienced
team of cardiologists, surgeons, nurses, managers and support staff are
nationally and internationally renowned for their expertise, using the
latest technologies to improve care and outcomes for patients throughout
Texas and surrounding states. For more information about the Heart
Center, visit www.childrens.com/heart.

About Children’s Health℠

Children’s
Health℠ is the eighth-largest pediatric health care provider in the
nation and the leading pediatric health care system in North Texas,
providing a full spectrum of health care services — from daily wellness
and primary care to specialty visits and critical care. Holding eight
disease-specific care certifications from The Joint Commission,
Children’s Health has been consistently named one of the nation’s top
pediatric providers by U.S. News & World Report. The
Children’s Health system includes Children’s Medical Center Dallas, as
well as Children’s Medical Center Plano, Our Children’s House inpatient
rehabilitation hospital, multiple specialty centers, Children’s Health
Pediatric Group primary care practices, rehabilitation facilities, home
health, physician services and the Children’s Medical Center Research
Institute at UT Southwestern. For more information about Children’s
Health, visit www.childrens.com.